Donald J. Bergeron

World War II
-
MIA
Fallen

Kenmare, ND


County:
Ward

Date of Loss:

Recovered:
Remains not recovered

Branch of Service:
Air Force

Rank:
Sergeant

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent:
424th Bomber Squadron, 307th Bomber Group, Heavy

Listed on/in the:
Register of North Dakota Veterans World War II 1941-1945 and Korean Conflict 1950-1953, published 1968

Major Battle/Theatre:
Asiatic Pacific Theater

Circumstances:

Died while in MIA status. Memorialized at Manila American Cemetery.

Biography:

Sergeant Donald Bergeron was born on November 28, 1924. On July 9, 1943 he lived in Ward County, North Dakota and he entered the USAAF in Ft Snelling, Minnesota. He served in the Asiatic Pacific Theater and was killed in action on October 26, 1944 on Mendanao Island, Philippine Islands and his remains were not recovered. 

Donald served as Sergeant on B-24J #44-41022, 424th Bomber Squadron, 307th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-24J #44-41022 was one of seven B-24 sent out on mission #307-353D to a port in the Sulu Sea to bomb what was thought to be a Japanese Yamato battleship. Over their target they were hit by anti-aircraft flak after dropping their bomb's and exploded in mid-air and fell into the sea during the war.

Donald was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

He is listed on the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Philippines. 

Donald also has a "Cenotaph" in the Lakeview Cemetery, Kenmare, North Dakota.